Figure 3

The combination of raloxifene with dexamethasone-treatment preserves the bone from osteoporosis induced by arthritis and ovariectomy. Female sham-operated (n = 10) or ovariectomy (OVX) mice treated with vehicle (Veh; n = 9), raloxifene (Ral; n = 10), dexamethasone (Dex; n = 8), or a combination of both Dex and Ral (n = 9) were used in order to evaluate the effects on trabecular bone mineral density (BMD). Treatment was administered five days per week, starting after the first appearance of arthritis (day 22), and continued until the termination of the experiment (day 49). (a) Scatter plots of individual data show the trabecular BMD of one femur and bars indicate the median per group. Non-parametric Kruskall-Wallis test with post hoc comparison was used for statistical evaluation of all parameters, *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001. (b) Representative peripheral quantitative computer tomography (pQCT) images of cross-sections of the femur showing the BMD. The scale beneath indicates the density of the bone, from 0 (gray) to >750 mg/cm³ (white).